Cabinet.



F. A. STONEY.

CABINET.

APPLIGATION FILED N0V.18, 1911.

1,060,21 5. Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

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OLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH Co.. WASHINGTON, u. n

F. A. STONEY.

CABINET.

APPLIGATION FILBDNOV. 18, 1911.

Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

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@M/ @M @mm/LWW FFTCE FRANK A. STONEY. 0F STERLING, ILLINOIS.

CABINET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 29,1913.

Application led November 18, 1911. Serial No. 661,183.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FRANK A. STONEY, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Sterling, in the county of Vhiteside and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to cabinets which are designed for the safe keeping of money or other valuables, the novel features thereof embodying certain parts and mechanisms of a concealed or secret nature, by the use of which the receptacles for such valuables are secured from opening, except by those familiarv with the constructions thereof.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cabinet embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section in the line w-:c of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 illustrates the locking devices in enlarged detail, in side elevation. Fig. 4 shows the same in front elevation. Fig. 5 is a detail, showing the manner of supporting the comr partments. Fig. 6 shows a modified locking` means, in plan view. Fig. 7 is a detail, showing the stop and end of key engaged thereby, in section, the view showing the relative positions of the parts after the key has been shifted with relation to the stop 36.

Similar parts are indicated by corresponding reference numbers throughout the several figures.

1 represents the cabinet, provided in its front with openings to accommodate a plurality of drawers 2. To the rear ends of the drawers 2 are fixed plates 3, which are engaged, when the drawers are in closed position, by catches 4 pivoted on rods 5 secured in the end-pieces of the cabinet. To the rear end of each of the catches 4 are secured rods 6, which pass upwardly through a cross-piece 7 fixed to the top 8 of the cabinet, in which cross-piece said rods are capable of vertical movement. The downward movement of any one of said rods causes the catch connected therewith to release the plate on the drawer 2 which it engages, permitting the opening of such drawer. Engagement of the catches 4 and plates 3 is assured by means of coiled springs 9, connecting said catches with cross-pieces 10 mounted in the cabinet in rear of the drawers 2, and the catches are held in proper position to automatically engage the plates 3 by means of stops 11 on uprights 12 located conveniently to said catches.

Mounted on the top 8 of the cabinet, so as to have a limited sliding movement laterally thereon, is a key-case 18, in the ends 14 of which is secured a rod 15, upon which is pivoted a plurality of keys 16, the forward ends of which project through openings in the front-piece 17 and inclined piece 18 of the key-case. One of said keys is prov vided for each of the rods 6, and the keys may be provided wit-h suitable numbers or characters, and the drawers correspondingly marked, but this is not essential.

The keys 16 are normally out of alinement with the upper ends of the rods 6, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the operation of any one of the keys by depressing the forward end thereof will have no effect upon any of such rods, and so long as the keys remain in such positions the opening of the drawers is an impossibility. By moving the key-case 13 to one side, however, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, the keys 16 are caused to register with the rods 6, and a depression of any one of the keys will result in the release of the corresponding drawer 2. The keys 16 are held normally in elevated positions by means of springs 19 secured at one end to the rear end of the keys and at the other end to a cross-piece 2O supported in downward eX- tensions 21 of the end-pieces 14. The rear part of the top 8 is provided with an opening 22 to accommodate said springs. See Fig. 6.

As a matter of convenience it is deemed preferable to have the drawers 2 arranged so as to be self-opening, and one of the ways in which this may be accomplished is illustrated in the drawings. On each side of each of the drawers a rod 23 is supported at the rear end in one of the cross-pieces 10 and at its forward end in the front of the cabinet, and slidable upon each of said rods is an ear 24 fixed to the side of the drawer. Between each of such ears and the crosspiece 10 in rear thereof is interposed an eX- important that some means be provided for locking such key-case in an inoperative position, with the keys out of register with the operating rods. One means which I provide for doing this is shown in Figs. 3 and t. At the corners of the key-case are pillars 26, one of which is fixed to a central shaft 27 journaled in the top and bottom boards of the keycase and projected downwardly into the cabinet. On the forward edge of one of the extensions 21 is fixed a frame 28 in which a rack 29 has vertical play. On its outer edge the rack 29 is provided with gear-teeth 30 engaged by a worm-gear 31 on the lower end of the shaft 27, and by turning the pillar 26 the rack 29 can be raised or lowered, as desired, through the rotation of the shaft 27. Conveniently to the rack 29 a pin 32 is horizontally supported fro-m a post 33 iixed to the lower face of the top 8, and the rack 29 is provided with a perforation 34 which permits the passage of the pin 32 when such rack is at a proper height, the entry of the pin into the opening permitting the movement of the key-case upon the cabinet to bring the keys 16 into a proper position for operation. A slot 35 is provided in the top 8 to accommodate the lateral movement of the shaft 27, such slot being concealed beneath the lower board of the key-case.

When it is desired to lock the key-case in inoperative position, it is first returned to such position, and the pillar 26 rotated until the perforation 34 is out of register with the pin 32, rendering it impossible for the key-case to be moved lby reason of the rack 29 coming in contact with the end of the pin. As the parts are all concealed it will be apparent that there is nothing to indicate to a person not possessed of the secret the manner of operating the device. The pillar 26 can be ornamented and provided with secret marks which will indicate to the operator the position in which the lars 26 can be provided with the locking mechanism hereinbefore described.

A simpler device'for locking the key-case is shown in Fig. 6, wherein one of the keys 16, as No. 3, is projected rearwardly and is engaged by a stop 36 secured to an upward extension of the back 37, which extension is projected upwardly in rear of the key-case, but is not connected therewith.

To permit the movement of the key-case to bring the same into operative position the long key is depressed, releasing the rear end thereof from the stop 36, and permitting its passage above the same. The upper face of the stop is beveled and the end of the key correspondingly formed, as shown in Fig. 7 so that in the return movement of the keycase the key will be returned automatically to its locked position. Two or more of the keys can be provided with this locking Y means for securing the members, a key-case movably mounted upon the cabinet and having keys adapted to be brought into register with the securing means and a stop fixed with relation to the cabinet and located in the path of movement of one of the keys.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK A. sToNEY.

itnesses IV. N. HAsKELL, F. Gr. GIFFROW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patenti.

Washington, D. C. 

